Symbolism In Lord Of The Flies

Symbolism is significant because it can turn a boring novel into a world’s best seller. Symbolism establishes meaning in a piece of writing. William Golding, the author of The Lord of The Flies uses symbolism in his writing to create a theme. The novel centers on a group of boys that have crash landed on an island. They must do whatever it takes to survive, so they create a type of civilization. However, this society doesn’t last long, as the boys tend to savagery. Golding incorporates symbolism throughout his text to advance that although it may be unclear to the surface, savagery is within mankind.

During the novel, Golding symbolizes the state of the conch shell to advance that mankind always has savagery within itself. When the

conch was intact, it symbolized society and civilization.

The survivors had somewhat of a government. They decided on one leader, Ralph and one co-leader, Jack and the rest of the boys would follow what they imposed. Ralph dictated that they should have meetings. For example, when talking to the other boys on the island, he says, “This meeting must not be fun but business” (Golding 76). Since the conch is intact the survivors use the shell to call ‘meetings’, like Ralph was talking about. The boys have created a type of civilization on the island by having gatherings. The boys keep organized and focused because of these meetings. But they need to focus on one thing and one thing only, which is to get rescued. So, when Ralph says that the meeting needs to be about business, it is so the boys will concentrate on getting rescued which is a civilized thing to do. But, when the conch gets shattered, the civilization goes along with it. Although it is irrational, Jack and his tribe hunt down Ralph, a kid who was once their friend. In fear, Sam and Eric

advise Ralph, “They hate you Ralph. They’re going to do you tomorrow. They’re going to hunt you tomorrow” ‘But why’ “I dunno…” (Golding 188). The conch was a symbol of civilization so when it broke, the civilization with the boys who were once all civil form the start, evolved into straight savages. Savagery is apparent when Sam and Eric talk about how Jack is going to hunt Ralph down. Jack had no good reasoning for it, but the savagery that had taken over caused him to do it. The conch symbolizes civilization so when it was intact, civilization was there, but when broken, there was savagery within the boys.
Additionally, the condition of Piggy’s glasses symbolize hope that the boys had, in order to get rescued, which slowly drove the boys into savagery. Piggy’s glasses gave the boys hope that they soon would be rescued because the glasses assisted with the creation of the fire. When the boys first get the a spark going, “The flame (is) nearly invisible at first in that bright sunlight enveloped a small twig, grew was enriched with color and reached up to a branch which exploded with a sharp crack. The flame flapped higher and higher and the boys broke into cheer,” (Golding 41). Towards the beginning of the novel, the boys were just gaining their hope for being rescued. The boys “cheer” when they get the fire started because they know they know that they are one step closer to getting rescued, all because of Piggy’s glasses. However, after the glasses are broken most of the boys have turned to savagery so they do not hope to get rescued, they are concentrated on killing anything and everything. Jack, who was once hopeful for rescue, became corrupt and savage after Piggy’s glasses were damaged. He goes on to yell at the others, “I got you meat!’ Numberless and inexpressible frustrations combined to make his rage elemental and five inspiring. ‘I painted my face- I stole up. Now all of you eat- all of you- and I-”(Golding 74). The boys are unfocused on what their initial goal was: hope to be rescued. But now that their only source of fire is ruined, they are now focusing on hunting. This is demonstrated when Jack gets mad and says, ‘Now all of you eat- all of you- and I-’ when the others are uneasy of eating the meat. They don’t have any hope left because their minds are mainly focused on being savage. Piggy’s glasses symbolize hope within the boys but as the condition of the glasses were corrupt, so was the hope.
Lastly, Golding uses the idea of the beast to symbolize the increasing savagery.

In the start of the novel, the kids are innocent, british, school boys who have not killed anything. When the three boys, Jack, Ralph and Simon go on an expedition up to the mountain, they see a pig and Jack, “Raised his arm in the air, there came a pause, a hiatus, the pig continued to scream and the creepers to jerk and the blade continued to flash at the end of a bony arm. The pause was only long enough for them to understand the enormity the downward stroke would be,” (Golding 31). This was before the boys turned savage so they were civilized and understood the ‘enormity the downward stroke’ could do. They knew that they would be taking the life away from a breathing creature. The boys are not used to killing their food, or killing in general, so they do not know what the loss of innocence could result in. Furthermore, as the boy further into savagery, they become insane and create the idea of a beast on the island which drove them crazy. Simon, a friend of the boys was the first to understand that there was so beast and that it was all in their head. However, when he tried to express that to the rest of the boys, they thought he was the beast, so they began to attack him. Simon or, “The beast struggled forward, broke the ring and fell over the steep edge of the rock to the sand by the water. At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock lept on to the beast, screamed struck bit

tore. There were no words and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws,” (Golding 153). The boys are growing more insane and from this, they also become more savage. When the author says ‘the beast struggled forward’, it exposes that the idea of the beast has driven them to the point where they can no longer identify the beast from their friend because it was not the beast that struggled forward, it was Simon. The kids turned from innocent little boys to barbaric savages who have killed their friend. The symbolization of the beast demonstrates that there is savagery in mankind.
It is easier to identify savagery in some people than others but Golding captures that concept by using symbolism. For instance, the symbolization of the conch, Piggy’s glasses and the idea of the beast expose the savagery in many characters. It can be difficult to depict savagery in the characters of The Lord of The Flies but Golding’s use of symbolism helps reveal it.